Pen-shaped position indicator

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10921906-B2
Application number	US-201615013853-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 2, 2016
Priority date	Jun 6, 2012
Publication date	Feb 16, 2021
Grant date	Feb 16, 2021

Abstract

A pen-shaped position indicator includes: i) a cylindrical housing; ii) a core received in the cylindrical housing and having a pointer tip extend from a distal end of the cylindrical housing; iii) a resonant circuit comprised of an inductive element and a capacitor and received in the cylindrical housing, wherein an inductance of the inductive element changes in response to a pressure applied to the pointer tip of the core; iv) a connection member received in the cylindrical housing between the inductive element and the capacitor, wherein the connection member includes a distal surface facing the inductive element and a proximal surface facing the capacitor, and the connection member includes a terminal member having a distal end and a proximal end; and v) a first conductor disposed on a distal surface of the capacitor facing the proximal surface of the connection member, wherein the first conductor electrically connects the capacitor, via the at least one terminal of the connection member, to the inductive element.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A pen-shaped position pointer, comprising:
a housing having an elongated shape along an axis of the pen-shaped position pointer;
a core body having a distal end, which serves as a pointer tip, wherein the core body is received in the housing such that the pointer tip extends from a distal end of the housing;
a core disposed proximate to the pointer tip of the core body along the axis of the pen-shaped position pointer, wherein a coil is wound around the core;
a pressure sensing device disposed in the housing along the axis of the pen-shaped position pointer;
a capacitor disposed in the housing along the axis of the pen-shaped position pointer, wherein the capacitor, the pressure sensing device, and the coil wound around the core form a resonant circuit, and a resonant characteristic of the resonant circuit changes in response to a pressure applied to the pointer tip of the core body; and
a coupling member including at least one terminal member having a distal end and a proximal end, wherein the coupling member includes a first recess in which the distal end of the at least one terminal member is exposed to be connected to the capacitor forming the resonant circuit, and the coupling member includes a second recess in which the proximal end of the at least one terminal member is exposed to be connectable to an operation switch that is configured to control the resonant characteristic of the resonant circuit and disposed proximate to the coupling member; wherein
the operation switch includes a columnar chassis and a pressing part exposed at a circumferential side surface of the columnar chassis, wherein the pressing part is configured to be pressed to turn on/off the operation switch; and
the first recess of the coupling member includes a first ring-shaped groove configured to receive a first ring-shaped projection provided at a circumferential side surface of the capacitor, and the second recess of the coupling member includes a second ring-shaped groove configured to receive a second ring-shaped projection provided at the circumferential side surface of the columnar chassis of the operation switch.

2. The pen-shaped position pointer of claim 1 , further comprising a position limiter that defines relative circumferential positions between the coupling member and the capacitor.

3. The pen-shaped position pointer of claim 1 , further comprising a position limiter that defines relative circumferential position between the coupling member and the operation switch.

4. The pen-shaped position pointer of claim 1 , wherein the core is a first ferrite core.

5. The pen-shaped position pointer of claim 4 , wherein
a second ferrite core is disposed between the core body and the first ferrite core, along the axis of the pen-shaped position pointer; and
the inductance of the coil changes according to a changing distance between the first ferrite core, around which the coil is wound, and the second ferrite core in response to a pressure applied to the pointer tip of the core body.

6. The pen-shaped position pointer of claim 1 , wherein the core body has a rod shape, and is replaceable via the distal end of the housing from which the pointer tip extends.

7. The pen-shaped position pointer of claim 1 , wherein the core body integrally extends from the core toward and beyond the distal end of the housing.

8. The pen-shaped position pointer of claim 1 , wherein a pressure contact is rendered between the capacitor and the coupling member.

9. The pen-shaped position pointer of claim 1 , wherein a pressure contact is rendered between the coupling member and the operation switch.

10. The pen-shaped position pointer of claim 1 , comprising:
a spring disposed proximate to the operation switch to bias the operation switch, the coupling member, and the resonant circuit toward the core body.

11. The pen-shaped position pointer of claim 10 , wherein the spring is a coil spring.

Assignees

• Wacom Co Ltd

Inventors

• Obata Masayuki

Classifications

• H01G5/00

  Capacitors in which the capacitance is varied by mechanical means, e.g. by turning a shaft; Processes of their manufacture · CPC title

• H01G4/18 Primary

  of synthetic material, e.g. derivatives of cellulose (H01G4/16 takes precedence) · CPC title

• H01G5/011

  Electrodes · CPC title

• H05K5/0091

  Housing specially adapted for small components (for resistors H01C; for capacitors H01G; for integrated circuits H10W99/00) · CPC title

• G06F3/046

  by electromagnetic means · CPC title